The Road Home
by Ronin Hikami
Summary: Naruto wakes up from a coma with severe memory loss three years after the battle. Sasuke returns to Konoha for reasons unknown. What happens when they meet? After all, can you really forgive someone you've forgotten? SakuNaru, HinaNaru


**Disclaimer: **I won't risk getting sued for saying that I own Naruto.

Chapter One

Beep, beep, beep.

The same sound has echoed through the near empty room for the past three years. Nothing has changed in the room, even if change is obvious outside the small space. Through the window, clouds moved at their own pace away from their previous position. The streets were busy and changing at an amazing pace. Everything was changing except for this room. The space in the room was at a stand-still and had been for three full and agonizing years.

The door creaked open silently and a pair of footsteps took over the silence. The door closed again and the chair squeaked softly. As sudden as everything had begun, it was silent again. It had been like this for the three years.

Sakura put down her fruit basket on the small table and took the sleeping boy's hand into her own. She looked at him with a sad smile and longing eyes. "How long are you going to stay like this, Naruto? It's been three long years, how are you going to be the Hokage if you keep sleeping and slacking off?" she said softly, not expecting a reply. It has been like that ever since Kakashi brought a bloody and semi-concious Naruto back to Konoha. During the period the Healer-nins were healing him, he had slipped into unconciousness. Try as they may, the Healer-nins could not wake him up again. He had went into coma and had stayed in coma for the last three years. The Healer-nins had wanted to cut off his life support after the second year, but did not in fear of the Godaime's wrath.

Life support. Sakura couldn't believe that Naruto, the number one hyperactive shinobi in Konoha, was depending on life support to live. A lone tear slipped. She wiped it hurriedly. Why was it that everytime she visited him, she cried? He may have been an idiot, but he was her teammate. She had been so ashamed for not treating him better when he was still awake and jumping about. She hadn't treated him like her comrade, much less her friend. After Naruto slipped into coma, she had made up her mind and had trained under Tsunade as a Healer-nin. Sakura had dropped her childish crush and matured enough to become a Chuunin. In fact, the Rookie Nine and the Sand Trio had all made it to Chuunin or higher. All except Naruto.

The door creaked again, revealling Hinata with fresh roses in her hands. She had changed from the timid girl but it will be long before she gives up her crush on Naruto. "Ohayo Sakura-san," she greeted softly. Sakura just looked at her and tried to smile. If it was anyone who was affected the most about Naruto's never changing condition, it was Hinata with her crush and Sakura with her guilt.

Hinata replaced the wilting flower in the vase and replaced it with the roses. "Still the same?" Hinata asked. "Still the same," Sakura replied. There was no doubting what they were referring to. All fell silent.

Beep, beep. Beeeeeeeeepppppp.

The moniter turned abruptly into a straight line. Hinata gasped in horror while Sakura rushed out of the room to get help. The Healer-nins arrived shortly and asked the girls to leave them alone to deal with it. The girls obeyed, albeit reluctantly, and prayed for the best. The doctors came out a while late and told them that he was steady again. The girls sighed in relief. They knew it was short-lived. One day, the moniter was going to turn into a straight line and it was going to stay that way forever. After all, Healer-nins could only do this much. For now, they can only hope that that day doesn't arrive anytime soon, if at all.

The girls returned into the room. Beep, beep, beep. The sound greeted their ears, reassuring them that he was safe, for now. They stayed by his side for a long time, during which many from the Rookie Nine visited. They eventually fell asleep by his side.

The clock struck three a.m. The wind blew gently and flattered the curtains. Inside the room, a hand twitched and blue eyes flattered open. Naruto was back after three long years.

He looked at his surroundings. Then he looked at the girls in his room. He blinked repeatedly until a thought entered his mind after three years of unconciousness.

"Where am I? And who the hell are they?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Author's notes: **For those wondering why it's so short, let's just say that I'm running low on creative juices. As to why the Healer-nins would heal the Kyuubi vessel when they think that he was the Kyuubi, let me just say that a certain Godaime threatened that she has a certain blood-thirtiness in her and she won't mind seeing some blood. Preferably from the person who doesn't heal Naruto.


End file.
